Filled and sealed bag having an easy pour spout and method of making same

ABSTRACT

An article of commerce comprising a bag containing a quantity of particulates. The bag includes a sidewall encircling a longitudinal axis and extending along the axis between a bottom closed end and a top closed end. The opposite sides of the sidewall are brought together to form the bottom closed and the top closed end. Both of the bottom and top closed ends extend acutely with respect to the axis such that the bag is parallelogram-shaped in a plane containing the axis and the bottom closed end and the top closed end.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 60/783,141 for a FILLED AND SEALED BAG HAVING EASYPOUR SPOUT AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME, filed on Mar. 16, 2006, which ishereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to the packaging for particulate material such asready-to-eat (“RTE”) cereal. More specifically, this invention isparticularly useful in the form of a bag-in-a-box with a re-closablebag.

2. Description of Related Art

The use of a bag and or of a cartons with liner bag for particulateproducts like RTE cereal is well known. Such cartons are usually formedfrom a blank of paperboard or similar material comprising sidewalls withtop and bottom flaps. The liner is a plastic or coated paper bag whichholds the particulate product. The liner can be filled and sealed beforeor after being placed inside the open carton. The flaps of the cartonare then folded and sealed.

Gaining access to the contents of such cartons involves breaking theseal between the top flaps of the carton and pulling open the sealedliner bag. As will be appreciated by anyone who has opened this type ofbag, they do not always open neatly and many times can tear in ways thatmake resealing difficult. Difficult and incomplete sealing can lead to aloss of freshness of the product. RTE cereal. For example, theparticulate has a low moisture content and readily absorbs moisture fromthe air, leading to a loss of crispness.

Once opened, and as the contents are depleted, the liner bag and itscontents slide and shift positions in the carton which can cause theopened portion of the liner to become misaligned with the box openingthereby hindering dispensing of product from the carton. This alsocauses product to drop between the carton and the liner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In summary, the invention is an article of commerce comprising a bagcontaining a quantity of particulates. The bag includes a sidewallencircling a longitudinal axis and extending along the axis between abottom closed end and a top closed end. The opposite sides of thesidewall are brought together to form the bottom closed and the topclosed end. Both of the bottom and top closed ends extend acutely withrespect to the axis such that the bag is parallelogram-shaped in a planecontaining the axis and the bottom closed end and the top closed end.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as thesame becomes better understood by reference to the following detaileddescription and the accompanying drawings that set forth an exemplaryembodiment wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the exemplary embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the exemplary embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a bag according to the exemplaryembodiment of the invention partially opened at a top end;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the bag shown in FIG. 3 re-closed;

FIG. 5 is a front view of the re-closed bag shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the bag showing dual seal zones; and

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of a production line for making the bag.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT

The present invention provides a unique solution to the opening andclosing problems encountered with traditional bags and particularlytraditional bags in boxes. This unique solution is obtained at little oreven no additional cost in equipment, material or labor.

Referring now to the figures of the application, the exemplaryembodiment of the invention includes a bag 10 containing a quantity ofparticulates 12. A portion of the bag 10 is cut-away in FIG. 1 to revealthe particles. In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, theparticles are RTE cereal pieces. But in alternative embodiments of theinvention, the particles can encompass large bulk packaged pieces aswell as very small bulk packaged pieces. Examples of smaller fillmaterials include, but are not limited to, the following: agriculturalproducts like seeds, rice, grains, vegetables, fruits; chemical productslike fine chemicals, pharmaceuticals, raw chemicals, fertilizers;plastics like plastic resin pellets, plastic parts, rejected plasticparts, machined plastic parts; cereals and cereal products such aswheat; a variety of machined parts of all sorts; wood products like woodchips, landscaping material, peat moss, dirt, sand, gravel, rocks andcement. The present invention also finds utilization in bulk packagingof larger fill material including, but not limited to: prepared foods;partially processed foods like frozen fish, frozen chicken, other frozenmeats and meat products; manufactured items like textiles, clothing,footwear; toys like plastic toys, plastic half parts, metallic parts,soft toys, stuffed animals, and other toys and toy products. All ofthese types of materials and similar bulk packaged materials areintended to be encompassed in the present specification and claims bythis phrase.

The bag 10 can be made of paper or plastic. The bag 10 can be made fromany material now known or subsequently developed that is operable tocontain particles.

The bag 10 includes a sidewall 14 encircling a longitudinal axis 16 andextending along the axis 16. The sidewall 14 can be continuous or caninclude seam, such as shown when comparing FIGS. 2 and 6. FIG. 6 shows aseam 36. The bag 10 extends between a bottom closed end 18 and a topclosed end 20. Opposite sides 26, 28 of the sidewall 14 are broughttogether to form the bottom and top closed ends 18, 20. Both of thebottom and top closed ends 18, 20 extend acutely with respect to theaxis 16 such that the bag 10 is parallelogram-shaped in a planecontaining the axis and the bottom closed end 18 and the top closed end20. This plane is shown in FIG. 1, revealing the two acute angles 22 and24.

The top closed end 20 of the exemplary bag 10 can be opened byseparating the opposite sides 26, 28 of the sidewall 14. FIG. 3 showsthe bag 10 partially opened. The bag 10 can be opened without tearingthe sidewall 14. As a result, the bag 10 is re-closable. FIGS. 4 and 5show two view of the bag 10 in a re-closed condition.

The structure of the exemplary bag 10 results in a pour spout beingdefined when the top end 20 is opened. The exemplary bag 10 is alsostructured to enhance the control over which the top end 20 is opened.Specifically, the exemplary top end 20 is defined by dual seal zones. Inother words, the top end 20 is variably sealed. As best shownschematically in FIG. 6, the top closed end 20 extends transverse to theaxis 16 (shown in FIG. 1) between a first end 30 disposed relativelycloser to the bottom closed end 18 and a second end 32 disposedrelatively further from the bottom closed end 18. A first adhesive 34disposed between the opposite sides 26, 28 along a first portion of thetop closed end 20. A second adhesive 38 disposed between the oppositesides 26, 28 along a second portion of the top closed end 20. The firstadhesive 34 defines a greater adhesiveness that the second adhesive 38such that the first portion requires a greater force to open than thesecond portion. In other words, an amount of separating force requiredto open the top closed seal 20 is different at the first and second ends30, 32. Specifically, in the exemplary embodiment of the invention, theamount of separating force required to open the top closed seal 20 isgreater at the second end 32 than at the first end 30.

A bag according to the present invention can also be used with orwithout a box or carton. The exemplary article of commerce also includesa carton 40 having a sidewall 42 and bottom wall 44. The sidewall 42 cancontinuous or be formed with a seam. The sidewall 42 can be formed as asingle piece (with or without a seam) or formed from a plurality ofdiscrete pieces. The sidewall 42 encircles the axis 16 and extends alongthe axis 16 between a top end 46 and a bottom end 48. The bottom wall 44closes the bottom end 48 to cooperate with the sidewall 42 to define asubstantially enclosed cavity. The bag 10 is disposed in the cavity. Thecarton 40 is further defined as being substantially rectangular in aplane containing the axis 16 and the bottom closed end 18 and the topclosed end 20. The carton 40 can be formed from plastic or paperboard.The carton 40 can include integral closing structures or features, suchas flaps, or can be engaged by a separate lid or cover.

Indicia may be included on the pouring spout or carton to provideinstructions for opening.

FIG. 7 schematically shows a production line 50 for forming theexemplary bag 10. In an exemplary method for making the bag 10, a web 52of folded material is drawn off of a roll 54 in a first directionrepresented by arrow 56 along the production line 50. A sealing bar 58is disposed along the production line 50 at an acute angle 60 to thefirst direction 56. A cutting bar 62 is also disposed along theproduction line 50 at an acute angle 64 to the first direction 56. Thecutting bar 62 can be a dual purpose device, cutting and sealing the web52 to form the bag 10. Likewise, the bar 58 can be a dual purposedevice. The bars 58, 62 are space from one another along the productionline 50. The production line 50 is flexible in that, if rectangular bagsare desired, the bars 58, 62 can be rotated to be perpendicular to thedirection 56.

While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplaryembodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art thatvarious changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted forelements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. Inaddition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situationor material to the teachings of the invention without departing from theessential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the inventionnot be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best modecontemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the inventionwill include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appendedclaims.

1. An article of commerce comprising: a bag containing a quantity ofparticulates, wherein said bag includes a sidewall encircling alongitudinal axis and extending along said axis between a bottom closedend wherein opposite sides of said sidewall are brought together and atop closed end wherein opposite sides of said sidewall are broughttogether, and wherein both of said bottom and top closed ends extendacutely with respect to said axis such that said bag isparallelogram-shaped in a plane containing said axis and said bottomclosed end and said top closed end.
 2. The article of commerce of claim1 said top closed end is operable to open by separating said oppositesides of said sidewall apart without tearing said sidewall such thatsaid bag is re-closable.
 3. The article of commerce of claim 1 furthercomprising: a first adhesive disposed between said opposite sides alonga first portion of said top closed end; and a second adhesive disposedbetween said opposite sides along a second portion of said top closedend, wherein said first adhesive defines a greater adhesiveness thatsaid second adhesive such that said first portion requires a greaterforce to open than said second portion.
 4. The article of commerce ofclaim 1 wherein: said top closed end is further defined extendingtransverse to said axis between a first end disposed relatively closerto said bottom closed end and a second end disposed relatively furtherfrom said bottom closed end; and said top closed end is further definedas variably sealed such that an amount of separating force required toopen said top closed seal is different at said first and second ends. 5.The article of commerce of claim 4 wherein the amount of separatingforce required to open said top closed seal is greater at said first endthan at said second end.
 6. The article of commerce of claim 1 furthercomprising: a carton having a sidewall and bottom wall wherein saidsidewall encircles said axis and extends along said axis between a topend and a bottom end and wherein said bottom wall closes said bottom endto cooperate with said sidewall to define a substantially enclosedcavity, said bag being disposed in said cavity.
 7. The article ofcommerce of claim 6 wherein said carton is further defined as beingsubstantially rectangular in a plane containing said axis and saidbottom closed end and said top closed end.
 8. The article of commerce ofclaim 6 wherein said carton is further defined as being formed of one ofplastic and paperboard.
 9. A method for making said bag of claim 1comprising the steps of: drawing a web of folded material off of a rollin a first direction along a production line; disposing a sealing baralong the production line at an acute angle to the first direction; anddisposing a cutting bar along the production line at an acute angle tothe first direction.
 10. The method of claim 9 further comprising thestep of: spacing the sealing bar and the cutting bar from one anotheralong the production line.